#SaveKochiTurf gains support from Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Chhetri
A DAY’S CRICKET EVENT may put out football for over a month. In short, that is the gist of the protest for the trending hashtag #SaveKochiTurf.
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi played host to India’s first ever FIFA event last year in October when the FIFA Under 17 World Cup was hosted. Kochi was one of six venues used for the tournament. After meticulous planning and supervision, the turf was laid in Kochi and other venues. The JNL stadium is a multi-purpose stadium meaning cricket can also be played on the surface owing to the Bermuda grass on the pitch. But the issue is of having the turf being able to recover in time for use for football.
Pic - Manjappada KBFC / Twitter
The cricket match between India and West Indies is scheduled to be held on November 1 this year. Within about a month’s time from the match, the Indian Super League usually begins. The JLN serves as the home stadium for ISL team Kerala Blasters FC. To protest against this, the KBFC fan group Manjappada, began the online campaign to not have the cricket match at Kochi.
An option available to the cricket organisers is to have the match at Thiruvananthapuram where a cricket stadium is already in place. Plenty of football players native to Kerala added voice to the campaign notable being CK Vineeth, Rino Anto and Sushanth Mathew. Sunil Chhetri, captain and currently the highest goal scorer in the Indian Football team, shared his opnion expressing his support to the campaign.
We football fans in India have small joys and reasons to be happy about. A proper football pitch is one of them. Let's not snatch that away, even if it's for a little while.#SaveKochiTurf
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) March 20, 2018
Football Indian football club fan groups came together to lend their support to the cause as well.
In solidarity with #SaveKochiTurf movement. No sport should be allowed to cannibalize another. Indian football deserves more respect than this. Co-exist and create a better sporting nation. #WestBlockBlues pic.twitter.com/UH96fyA1qO
— West Block Blues (@WestBlockBlues) March 20, 2018
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME💙💛
— Supermachans-Chennaiyin FC Fans (@Supermachans) March 20, 2018
The JN Stadium in Kochi is more than a home to many.
We request KCA to not vandalize the home of 60k+ fans for one cricket match. There are plenty of cricket stadiums available. Please use them 🙏#SaveKochiTurf #Supermachans pic.twitter.com/0hbOBLGxIo
We are with you on this. #SaveKochiTurf https://t.co/0PY15lPIce
— Orange Army (@OrangeArmyFCPC) March 20, 2018
We'd like to express our vehement solidarity with everyone from the footballing Fraternity of Kochi who've voiced their concerns wrt the single ODI cricket game planned at JLN stadium Kochi which would significantly affect the World class FIFA turf laid out there. #SaveKochiTurf pic.twitter.com/96ZmGRiMsH
— Dynamos Ultras (@dynamos_ultras) March 20, 2018
The biggest push to the campaign was received when Kerala Blasters FC co-owner and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar urged the authorities to not go ahead with having the match held at JLN Kochi.
Worried about the potential damage to the FIFA approved World class Football turf in Kochi. Urge the KCA to take the right decision where cricket (Thiruvananthapuram) and Football (Kochi) can happily coexist. pic.twitter.com/rs5eZmhFDP
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 20, 2018
Former Indian Cricket team captain, followed suit to extend his support and asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to look into the matter and use other cricket stadiums in Kerala for the match.
.I am with u on this sachin@sachin_rt..@bcci ..please look into this @RJohri ...KCA has super cricket grounds .. https://t.co/w4mcic2qTq
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) March 20, 2018
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